Dear Christian friends:

When He was about thirty years of age Jesus began His preaching work or ministry. During His ministry He did many miracles. Our text tells about His first miracle, changing water to wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

Now Jesus didn't do these miracles to earn money or to get honor and praise for Himself. He had other reasons why He did His miracles. He did these to help people to believe in Him.

We, too, like the first disciples need our faith in Jesus made stronger. We often doubt and are afraid. So let us attend to Jesus' first miracle:


Why did Jesus do this miracle? You say, "He felt sorry for the newly married couple because they were embarrassed and had no more wine to serve the wedding guests." And you are partly right. Jesus did love this newly married couple and felt sympathy for them in their trouble.

God Himself established marriage. He said, "The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22)

Marriage and the home that is God's idea and plan for man's earthly good and happiness. So Solomon says, "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22) Those who respect and keep holy, sex and marriage receive God's blessings and support in their married life. Those who do not respect sex and marriage get plenty of trouble and no blessing from the Lord.

Now we see here how much Jesus loved the young married couple. When their wine was all gone, He changed the water in the six pots into wine, 144 to 175 gallons of perfect tasting wine, much more than they needed.

So I say to you young people respect sex and keep yourself and your marriage holy. Learn God's word about marriage and follow that. Don't copy the wicked and sinful ways of some movie stars and other popular people who do adultery and do not respect and keep clean their sex life. Married and divorced two, three and four times.

Here by this miracle at the wedding in Cana God gives you a good reason to trust and follow Him in your married life. He will not fail you. Don't be afraid, only believe.

There is another important reason why Jesus did this miracle. John 2:11 explains why, "What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him." He wanted to show His glory, that He is the mighty Son of God who came down from heaven to be our Helper and Savior. No man can make water change to wine in a moment. Only God can do such wonderful works.

Jesus who lived in Nazareth of Galilee, the carpenter's Son is also the Son of God. We have a perfect and mighty Savior. His death on the cross for our sins is very precious. His blood shed for our sins is very worthy. "The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son washes us from all sins." (1 John 1:7)

When His disciples saw this miracle they believed in Him. This wonderful work at the wedding should also lead us to believe that Jesus Christ is the mighty Son of God and our Savior. We should through this lesson learn to trust in Jesus in every thing that we do, especially in marriage.

This doesn't mean that we will have no problems or troubles in our married life or in our Christian life. God does not promise us no troubles or problems.

Although we believe in Jesus, we are not perfect and have many temptations and often fall into temptation. We make troubles for ourselves. Sometimes other people make trouble for us and it is not our fault.

Sometimes we get sickness or lose our job and money. But in all these troubles we must not become displeased with God or give up faith, as we often feel like doing.

Rather let us pray and seek comfort in His holy Word and wait patiently for His final and full salvation. Jesus can help and save when money and friends and doctors fail as here he helped and saved the young married couple when their money failed.

Even in the last great trouble, when you are dying, Jesus offers help and salvation. Doctors, money, hospitals will not help. He promises resurrection from the dead and everlasting life because your sins are forgiven.

"Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:1-3) Here we have no good perfect safe place or home. Now everyone is talking about nuclear war, bomb shelters and fallout shelters. But they can't help much. Jesus can help. He has a better and perfectly safe place for us in heaven. This miracle at the wedding offers us good hope and comfort in a very sick and troubled world. Let us take hold of this wonderful comfort and hope.

Amen.